Song of the Stars
by Meredith of Ladywinter
Summary: A Shang warrior-in-training struggles with the burdens of her chosen path, unaware that she is on the verge of making history.
1. Chapter I

**_ Song of the Stars_**

_Summary: Born Giftless in a family of renown mages, Leianna Yen chooses to follow the ancient path of the Shang warriors, taking up the Shang name of Starsong. A life of hardship follows her decision, particularly when she discovers her own lack of talent in the fighting arts. Through patience, perseverance, and friendship, she resolves to meet her goal, unaware that she is about to be tangled in a web riddled with magic and the power of the gods. For it seems that Leianna Starsong is beloved of destiny, fated to break ancient barriers and carve a niche into history._

* * *

**Chapter I**

Dawn.

Leianna Starsong allowed a ghostly sigh to float past her locked lips. Almost over. Fifteen more minutes. She willed herself not to give into the exhaustion consuming her, feeling beads of sweat slide down her skin. Shang was a tough life.

_ Why?_ The twelve-year-old student asked herself. _Why am I doing this?_ Her slender fingers rolled themselves into fists as she bent her leg gingerly, gathering momentum for a roundhouse kick. Leianna winced, feeling her nails, edges jagged from biting, cut into the tender flesh of her palms. _Why?_

Grimacing, the girl kicked, her leg combating the friction of the very oxygen._ I'm doing this because I want to!_ She chided herself, resolving to stamp out the seeds of self-pity before they could blossom. I_'m doing this so when that someone disrespects me, I won't lose any self worth. I'm doing this to protect myself from the dangers out there._ Leianna grinned triumphantly, feeling the kick land perfectly. Like an eagle gliding down to her nest, her instructor had said. Despite its difficulties and dangers, almost nothing could give as much in return as Shang.

Liam Ironarm, one of Leianna's teachers, entered the room through the sliding cedar doors. "Well done, Shen Starsong," he declared. "You may leave."

Leianna bowed rather hastily and wasted no time in departing.

* * *

_Disclaimer: All familiar characters, locations, etc. belong to Tamora Pierce. The plot, as well any of the above that are unrecognizable, are mine._


	2. Chapter II

**_ Song of the Stars_**

* * *

**Chapter II**

Leianna sighed, sinking into a cerulean damask chairs in the students' dormitory and mentally congratulating herself for surviving yet another morning of combat practice. Just thriving was enough for her. She had succeeded thus far, ever since leaving her native land, the Yinhai Isles, and settling in northern Maren to learn this ancient and sacred art. Now, at twelve years old, she was a _shen_, the last- and most challenging- rank before becoming a master.

Briskly, the girl wiped beads of sweat from her forehead and leaned toward the mirror to see what another morning's workout had done to her. 

The small looking glass was ancient and cracked, clouded from the fog drifting in from the open window, but Leianna examined herself critically. A slender, ivory-skinned girl looked back at her, thin lips quivering from weariness. The large, pensive black eyes of her reflection stared levelly at her, hidden behind a curtain of long black lashes. Her nose was long and thinly bladed, nostrils flaring at the incense perfuming the room. High cheekbones accented cheeks rosy from exertion while sweat-soaked black hair cascaded from its restraining pins. Leianna sighed. This was _not _the picture of a warrior.

"I look like a weak merchant's daughter or some scholar-in-training," the girl observed quietly, resentfully. "But I suppose that's not far off since half my family are mages or scholars, and before Shang training I would have rather read than fight. I was better at it, at any rate."

"Talking to yourself again?" a wry voice asked behind her.

"What? Corryn!" Leianna spun to face Corryn Diamondstrike, her best friend and fellow _shen_. Corryn grinned sardonically, twisting one shining chestnut curl around a callused finger. Unlike Leianna, she was tall for her twelve years, broad-shouldered and full-chested, one of the best staff fighters of the _shen_. Her face was naturally pale, gilded by the faintest hint of a summer tan and accented by soft, full lips and a dusting of cinnamon freckles. Her eyes, set under arched brows, were as large as Leianna's, but they were brown velvet to her friend's black liquid. Fawn eyes, made sharp by the humorous sarcasm glinting in them.

Corryn struck a pose, hands waving dramatically, then leaned against the wall, still smiling ironically. "So, complaining about your heritage again?" she asked cheerfully. "My folks are Tortallan rogues, and you don't find me grumbling."

Leianna sighed. "I wasn't complaining. You know I'm proud of the mages and scholars in my family, and there's my great-grandmother-"

"Leianna Everborne, the phoenix of Shang," her sharp-tongued friend interrupted her. "You were named after her. You told me. So, what's wrong?"

Leianna dusted off her brown tunic, rising to stand beside her friend. "Nothing, really. I was just wondering if I'm, you know, cut out for this."

"What, you mean for Shang? Don't worry about it," Corryn arched an eyebrow fractionally. "You may not be much of a staff-fighting, but you're still a good swordsmen. There's hope for you yet!" The Tortallan girl grinned mischievously. "Of course, you can't hope to compete with me."

Leianna snorted. "Thanks ever so, Corryn. Come on, we're going to be late for breakfast."

* * *

Disclaimer: All familiar characters, locations, concepts, etc. belong to Tamora Pierce. The plot, as well any of the above that are unrecognizable as mine,


	3. Chapter III

**_ Song of the Stars_**

* * *

**Chapter III**

"Dawn training, breakfast, fifteen minute break, then _more_ training," Corryn recited between bites of sausage. Sunlight, pure and golden, spilled over the dining hall, reflected on the polished mahogany furniture and the students' sweaty heads. The windows looked out toward delicate firs, sturdy oaks, and a lavender sky clouded with fog. Corryn's sharp eyes were fixed on her window, but her thoughts were obviously elsewhere.

Dark-haired Trizzin Stormstrider swatted at her as if she were a persistent fly. "Come on Corr. You say that every week," he groaned, brown eyes impatient. "Our life might be hard, but it isn't nearly _that_ repetitive."

"Yes it is," Ylanda Silverwind insisted, gray eyes flashing in her narrow, freckled face.

The black-haired, brown-eyed boy beside her snorted into his porridge. "Whatever you say, Nameless One," he drawled.

"Shut up, Ilasim Desertson," Yla muttered. "I may have the same name as your little Bazhir demon, but that does not give you the right to treat me as such."

"Little indeed," the tribesmen hissed rebelliously.

"I thought we were discussing Corryn's pessimism," Trizzin remarked, eyebrows raised.

Leianna, long used to the early morning breakfast banter, was plainly not listening. "I wondering if we're using the swords today," she commented softly.

"Hmm?" Corryn turned from the window to regard her friend curiously. "Oh, fencing. I don't know. Why?"

"Can you blame me? It's the only thing I'm any good at," the smaller girl girl replied absently, swirling wooden chopsticks through her neglected soup.

Hakuin Seastone sat down next to her, shaking his head. "No. We're doing glaives today. Again." He glanced sideways at her, dark eyes amused. "Are you really as terrible as you say?"

Leianna shook her head, still toying with her food. "It's all very well for you if you're from the Yamani Isles! And no, I'm not terrible, precisely, but I'm certainly not spectacular. I'm just... mediocre." I_ hate being mediocre_, Leianna thought, _but I'm resigned to it by now._

"Perfectionist," Hakuin scoffed, wolfing down his bread in the minute before the students were dismissed.

"So true," Corryn muttered absently, her eyes slightly unfocused. She thrust her mathematics work into a rough bag and slung it over one shoulder, making her way out of the dining hall. One by one, the _shen_ followed her, leaving Leianna staring into a bowl of cold soup.

For once, she didn't mind her solitude. Because despite everything, despite her inadequacies, she felt a sense of beginning.

* * *

Leianna twirled her glaive pointlessly before launching into another pattern dance. She felt feeble and lightheaded as the weapon's scintillating blade flashed in the sun, blinding her with ripples of silver and aquamarine. Point. Jab. Her attacks hit with unwavering accuracy and acceptable strength, but they were always a moment too slow.

_ Always,_ her mind sighed, _Always. And a moment is the difference between life and death._

"Stop!" Eda Bell, the Shang Wildcat, held up her weathered hand, commanding the _shen_ to halt. They obeyed instantly, standing at attention with their glaives erect.

"Shen Starsong," the Wildcat's voice was dry and emotionless, her keen sky-blue eyes unreadable. "Come here."

Leianna walked forward with a mixed feeling of curiosity and dread.

"Your attacks are graceful enough and quite precise, but they lack both strength and speed," the Wildcat explained. "Use your shoulders and balance yourself. Pay attention to the alignment of your body with the glaive."

The girl nodded silently and stepped back into the line of _shen_, cheeks scarlet with humiliation.

_ So much for a new beginning..._

* * *

Disclaimer: All familiar characters, locations, concepts, etc. belong to Tamora Pierce. The plot, as well any of the above that are unrecognizable as mine. 


	4. Chapter IV

**_ Song of the Stars_**

* * *

**Chapter IV**

"Leianna, cheer up!" Corryn snapped the next day, glancing impatiently at her friend's gloomy, disheartened face. "Everyone gets called up by the instructors at some point. Your are completely blowing it out of proportion!" Leianna continued to frown, black eyes downcast.

"Errgh!" Corryn groaned. "There's no talking to you when you get like this! You are being so- so _annoying!_"

Leianna sighed and nodded reluctantly. "Maybe you're right. If I'm so upset about this, I should just... work harder. But I'll need some help."

Corryn smiled, relieved. "No problem. Glaive work? Just ask Hakuin- he's the best by far." Her tone, wavering between admiration and resentment, drew a smile from her friend. "Anything else?"

"Actually, yes," the dark-haired girl admitted, her tone sheepish now rather than remorseful. "I need help with staff, spear, mace..." Her voice trailed off, leaving no doubt that there was more. 

"Are you serious?" Corryn demanded, stunned. "Those are the easiest weapons in existence!"

"'Easiest weapons in existence,'" Leianna mimicked sarcastically, sounding so much like Corryn herself that the other girl couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe for you, Shen My-parents-taught-me-to-fight-at-the-age-of-four. Some of us need help- a _lot_ of help."

Corryn considered it. "Fine," she said at last, "but we'd better get started. There's a lot of ground to cover, and _ you _have barely got the right stance. Just be glad you're all right at unarmed combat..."

* * *

"Shen Starsong?"

Leianna pivoted to face the formidable Shang Dragon, Liam Ironarm. "Yes, sir?" she replied politely, face impassive though she was tingling with apprehension. She could not read his stormy gray eyes, but she had no doubt that some sort of punishment was about to ensue. _Oh, what have I done **now**?_

To her utter surprise and confusion, the warrior smiled. "I simply wish to congratulate you. The Wildcat tells me that your glaive technique has improved significantly since your confrontation two weeks ago. And your other instructors have noticed improvement as well."

Leianna stared at him, eyes blank with surprise. "What, I'm sorry?" she stammered.

"You have improved greatly. I wished to tell you that you may take the day off in the city as a reward."

"Thank you," she choked, then bowed hastily. The Dragon nodded and went off to converse with the Shang Falcon.

Leianna smiled to herself. Well, I suppose those sessions with Corryn and Hakuin helped, she thought, mentally thanking her friends. But the credit's not entirely mine, and a day off is a rare privilege. Should I tell him? But the Dragon had already left, in pursuit of some other student. Leianna shrugged and prepared herself for the trip to the city. Maybe I can find a sword at last, she thought with glee.

* * *

Anrasciato, Maren was a small bazaar city colonized by Tyran merchants roughly fifty years ago. Nicknamed "orange skies" for the enormous, sheer vermillion banners that flew atop the guildhall and larger stores, the city still retained a large Tyran population. Unlike standard Marenite towns with their unvaried populations, Anrasciato was a veritable melting pot of not only Tyran merchants and Marenite farmers, but Yamani healers, Yinhai scholars, Saren K'miri warriors, Tortallan mages, Scanran sailors...

The city lay across the Fronsul River from the Shang academy, connected by an ancient, wind-worn bridge of cedar. Leianna stepped precariously onto the wooden planks, skipping over holes and wobbling onto loose boards now and then. The wood was wet from an evening's shower and Leianna slipped occasionally, clutching her purse with a trembling hand to prevent it from tumbling down into the icy depths. The fog swirled gently around her, cradling her slim form with ghostly white hands, and the wind whistled eerily over the treetops.

Leianna breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped off of the bridge's last plank. Anrasciato lay before her, gaudy orange banners showing golden through the mist. She grinned and stepped into the city.

She was instantly hit by a bustle of activity- the bazaar town was a whirl of swirling limbs, and everywhere she looked people were moving rapidly, purposefully. The city was small, and by some Marenite standards, disgracefully crowded, noisy, and low-class. Narrow dirt roads were lined with gleaming shop windows and cluttered stalls; merchants' voices carried across the streets as their beaming faces encouraged everyone to buy. The stalls were hung with lavish, shimmering jeweled ropes, whisper-fine silk, and crystalline glassware. The noisy merchant town was brighter than any palace.

Leianna dodged a frantic baker as he sprinted down the road in pursuit of a gaggle of street rats, shouting, "You little ragamuffins, get out of my baguettes!" with a heavy Tyran accent. A blacksmith raced past her, balancing a stack of rusty cauldrons. All around her, merchants, craftsmen, children, and beggars seemed to be shouting at the tops of their lungs.

In the darker corners of the stalls, Leianna was sure, there were thieves lurking by, so she was careful to keep an eye on her purse as she walked further in search of some quiet. As the dirt roads twisted in, the shops became smaller, the stalls worn and dusty, and the noise seemed to fade away as the people moved in the direction of the larger shops. Leianna continued to walk, aware that the atmosphere was now mysterious, almost supernaturally eerie, rather than busy. Finally, she reached the end of the row of shops and there to greet her was... silence.

"H-hello?" Leianna called uncertainly. She was facing a narrow stall of wind-worn wood, the air around which was heavy with the scent of dust and incense. Shining loops of gold and strings of dazzling seer's crystals looked out of place against the weathered walls. The gauzy, midnight-blue drapes that covered the opening were lavishly embroidered with silver stars and scalloped with gold, and the graceful ruffles seemed to flutter in a non-existent breeze. Leianna frowned and hesitantly drew back the curtain halfway.

"Yes," came a whisper from behind the fabric, an unearthly whisper that stirred the delicate veil. "Come in, warrior-in-training."  


* * *

_Disclaimer: All familiar characters, locations, concepts, etc. belong to Tamora Pierce. The plot, as well any of the above that are unrecognizable as mine._  



	5. Chapter V

"E-excuse me?" Leianna stammered. _I seem to be doing a lot of that lately, _she observed, sounding so much like Corryn that she had to swallow a nervous laugh.

A small, weathered hand the color of dark ivory grabbed the curtain and swung it out of the way in a brusque manner that contrasted strongly with it's owner's whispery voice. Leianna was aware of large, shimmering dark eyes that peered at her from within an ancient face.

"Shan zai jin si, je te mon!" the stranger murmured, breathy voice excited. "Ist, an!" Was it Leianna's imagination or was the dirty stall behind her _glowing_, a brilliant white-gold that hurt her eyes?

"I'm sorry," the girl gasped, shielding her eyes from the perhaps-imaginary light as it intensified, filling her vision. It was drilling into her mind, clogging her sight with glaring gold, and refusing to relinquish her. She struggled to speak as the light continued to bind her. "Ma'am? Sir? I don't understand you. Is that…Doi?" She was yielding now, struggling to remain standing, as the glow blended with darkness and… evanesced.

"Ah," the stranger stood in front the stall, hands clasped as if nothing extraordinary had happened. "You speak Common? Come in." A wrinkled hand beckoned, and Leianna obeyed, still rubbing her eyes.

"Yes, I speak Common," she muttered, grateful for the darkness inside the tiny wooden structure. She turned to the small form who had spoken so strangely.

The stranger was revealed to be an elderly woman, small and bird-like. Her rough muslin robe fluttered as she hobbled clumsily with an ebony cane, and Leianna saw a number of faint blue lines that caressed one bony leg, like fading tattoos or old scars. Her arms were scrawny and threaded with shiny green veins, a rope of brilliant opal intertwined in two fingers. Her face, framed by an amethyst turban, showed nothing of senility. A firm jaw, stubborn chin, and arched nose gave her a look of determination, and her unearthly black eyes shone with wisdom and cunning.

"My name is Nin-ching, known as Madame Nineve to the Marenites," she addressed the shen in a matter-of-face manner. "And yes, I was once of the Rockmouse Doi, their seer as a matter of fact. But they cast me out, exiled me, and now my daughter Mi-chi sees for them. I spoke to you in my native tongue, for I took you to be one of us. But you are not, are you, warrior-in-training?"

Leianna arched her eyebrows slightly, wondering how this unusual woman had known her chosen path. _Well she is- was- a seer._ "Uh, no," she replied, remembering courtesy. "I'm a Yinhai Islander. Some of my ancestors might have been Doi, I don't know."

Nin-ching nodded and held a hand out to the dying fire lighting the modest hearth. A brilliant golden flame blossomed in the center of her palm, and she threw it in the heart of the fireplace.

"You cast that light!" Leianna gasped, completely taken aback. _I thought seers had clairvoyant magics alone, like the Sight,_ she thought, _None of that battle magic, flashy, glittery, banging stuff. The Gift-_

"I apologize for startling you," the seer interrupted her thoughts, "and yes, it was I who illuminated this structure in order to see you more clearly. And what I saw…" her dark eyes held Leianna's for a second, glinting was an undistinguishable emotion. Was it sorrow?

"You're Gifted? A light bringer?" Leianna asked, ignoring it. "I thought the Doi only had fortune-telling magic."

Nin-ching dropped her gaze abruptly. "I am not limited to future sight. I can cast light, raise flames without flint and wood, summon the waters, and heal, within certain limits. Many warriors fear this power. Do you?" Her gaze was probing again, as if looking into the depths of Leianna's mind and soul, scraping for secrets and things concealed.

"No," Leianna answered, half-truthfully. "I have mages in my bloodline, along with scholars who study spells and such. I have an instructor who rather dislikes the Gift, but _I'm_ not that way." _But it makes me uneasy sometimes,_ her treacherous mind argued, _I didn't like it when Grandfather made the earth shake or rivers flood, even though it was to warn off the Jindazhen who raided our coasts._ Her memory sounded with thundering earth, rushing waters, and human screams both familiar and alien. She shuddered involuntarily.

Nin-ching saw the apprehension cloud the girls mind but wisely did not say anything. Instead, she reached for the ceiling and removed a string of shining obsidian hanging from it.

"It's just as well then," she said quietly, offering the stones to Leianna, who only stared. "Take this and listen carefully to what I have to tell you."

  


Author's Note: Well, you can tell that this is set in pre- or early Song of the Lioness now.


End file.
